Wood Stove Pollution and PM2.5 Particle Emissions TESTED ✓

Should you be worried about wood stove / log burner air pollution? Many articles state that PM2.5 particle emissions are tripled indoors when using a wood stove. But is that the full story? No! In this video I talk about the tests that I carried out using an air quality monitor to find out what levels of air pollution are caused by lighting up a fire to keep warm!

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[SteveRichards]

Have you tried putting the detector in your neighbours bedroom Keith, assuming you have them. We have a wood burner a few doors away and the stench of burning wood is terrible upstairs. I now try and make sure the windows are closed before they light their fire, but the smell still gets in if the winds blowing our way : all the best - Steve

[joshuadelisle]

My tip being a pyromaniac. Always do a top down method of fire lighting. Large logs on the very bottom then a layer of slightly smaller logs, then kindling and then the lighting nest on top. Like a pyramid. The heat from the top makes the syn gasses come out from the wood underneath which are then ignited rather than loose the un-combusted gas out the chimney. You'll have a much more efficient burn that way. cheers J

[fatelon]

Neighbour has one, makes inside my house smell like a bonfire when they use it

[ShieTar_]

Well, just to add a comparison number to this: I have an air quality monitor in my living room, and over the summer, when windows are open, I regularly saw it spike up to around 100 µg/cm³. The reason for that always being my neighbours working their charcoal barbeque on their balcony next door to mine.

So while your oven was giving you values that would be critical over extended periods of time, using a barbeque on a regular basis without masks will also do that.

[Darrell_Coquillette]

Whenever you open the door to put in wood, open a window just a little to let air into the room. If not, you can create a vacuum and pull smoke participles back into the room. I'm interested in a test to see if that changes your reading. Thank you for all the great content and I'll keep watching.

[glennwhitlock]

I have yet to meet a single person who uses the correct type of wood in a wood burner. Old furniture, painted wood, skirting, of fence panels, treated timber etc.

[johncochrane]

I think I'd be more worried about the long-term health effects of main road you live by than the log burner tbh. Enjoy the fire!

[tallianb]

Great video! I'd be really interested in seeing what your sensor picked up from having a couple of those horrible scented candles that people seem to be so keen on as a comparison 🤞

[richardlphillips]

With so many burning wood this winter, the smell of burnt wood in the air is commonplace and as an asthmatic running outside is off the menu. Interested to see what these readings would be in a high population neighborhood outside 🤔

[kevintodd]

Hi Keith,
My brother-in-law fitted a wood burner in the living room of his timber framed bungalow. Unfortunately, it produced so much heat that it cracked the external render!
I think that the main advantage of a wood burner is the aesthetics, i.e. the visual appearance! My own personal opinion is that when I arrive home, I want an immediate and convenient heat source i.e., a gas/electric fire. I couldn't be bothered to faff on loading wood etc and waiting for the stove to heat up! Also, the fumes would be a major concern not only for humans (especially babies/children etc), but also for pets. I think anyone who fits a wood burner is turning the clock back 70 odd years to the 1950's when open fires were commonplace!
Having said that, I accept that everyone has different views, and of course, as you say, being a wood worker, your fuel is free! Another great vid!

[MM-txrt]

Hi Keith,
I used to work in a stove shop (admin not installer!), just a couple of pointers/thoughts
The skirting and door frame are wood, looks a bit close and breach of regs? The closeness to the curtains makes me a bit uneasy too!
Storing wood outside is OK bu not ideal. Also kiln dried joinery wood gets wetter outside.
Wood stored outside is not ideal to burn, it's still generally kind of wet.
Wet wood = more deposits in chimney = more chance of fire. Kiln dried is optimal for efficiency and 'clean" burning. In all honesty I wouldn't burn anything else than kiln dried, but that's my preference.
Don't burn any painted, ply, treated wood, mdf etc, recipe for a chimney fire due to deposits in the flue.
The high particle reading I would suspect is from curing the paint, this is normal.
When building the fire it's best to put more in than less, the more wood the slower and longer the burn.
Warm chimneys are better for drawing smoke, as are longer ones. You are at a disadvantage in a bungalow unfortunately.
Make sure to get it swept yearly to keep it as efficient as possible and reduce the chance of chimney fire.

I don't mean to sound dramatic but I had all the above drilled into me. Stoves are fab but need to be treated with care which I know you will. Happy stoving!!

[Lastman]

Don't freeze to death trying to keep sea levels from moving a few inches 40 years from now.

[pdoubleyou]

Very interesting, and a little spooky. I had an identical stove installed recently in my bungalow. IIRC stove was £475 + vat. Flue was £950+vat and fitting was £720+vat £48 for Carbon monoxide alarm Data plate and Certificate. I had several quotes with wildly different prices before I got the above. One guy quoted £1900 for flue parts, another £1500 for fitting. It seems the energy crisis is bringing out the best in people!

[rainekenny]

A stove so close to flowing curtains would be more of a worry to me!

[Umski]

Point about HETAS not strictly true - I self installed our (4.5kW) stove and then Building Control came round (for a "small" fee of £140 🙄) took a look and issued a certificate - I explained how it complied with Part J which they were clueless about 🙄 Total cost of stove and accessories was around £500 less the BC fee (fortunately the chimney and flue were good so no liner needed). We have a small woodland and plenty of prunings that we handsaw and air-season - totally self sustaining. I don't understand the premise of 'saving' money by newly installing a stove and then buying imported, kiln-dried logs to burn - unless as you do, you have 'spare' fuel it's seems completely mis-guided to me that folks think they are saving money somehow 🤔

I would also add that the next season when you've had the flue swept and you fire up the stove again for the new season, you'll get the same weird smells and everything burns off and settles again...

[priscillaroberts]

I find open fires especially in pubs with constant comings and goings make me cough fit to burst and my eyes sting. Woodburners the same. There's a road where i live that constantly smells of bonfires in the colder weather that has the same effect on me and i suspect some of the houses have wood burners . I grew up with open fires and my mother and husband smoked. We considered a wood burner years ago they do look lovely but not for me now, glad we didn't do it. And i have to say i've seen some filthy stuff coming out of house chimneys recently.

[WoodFiresWithVince]

This is really interesting, something I have wanted to look at for a few years. Please could you try the PM2.5 sensor with other normal household actions - e.g. candles, burnt toast, cooking bacon, hoovering carpet, incense stick. My feeling is that many normal actions cause an increase in PM2.5 particles, and having a well-fitted woodstove needs to be seen in context. I have been living with woodfires for 51 years now and believe in them, so would really appreciate a balanced view. Thanks for the good clear video. Vince

[keithnewton]

I think we were very lucky we chose a British manufacturer cast iron multi fuel stove the people who fitted the stove built use a chimney breast and made the harth themselves and they do all the fitting . I would totally recommend you find a fitter who employs all his own workers and does not contract out.
They did the first and second firing for use the first fire there was a slight hot paint smell but there where no others fumes. .
Our house already has air bricks fitted so there was no neec for additional airflow. The firm we used did the survey and completed all the building regulations application for us I they where fantastic, if you live south Cheshire or North Staffordshire I highly recommend Newfield Fireplaces. They are a family business and very helpful.
Once fitted the came back 3weeks later to check there work make sure everything had settled this was April the in October the phone and ask if everything was going OK asked if he could come and check all the seals before heavy winter use .
They been great
Stove get very warm we leave our doors open and the travel into the hall and up the stairs our living room 6mx6m and it hot 🔥 with minutes . We use to gave a gas fire but it not warmed the room. This warms the house.
We use a small blow touch to warm our flue up and it make a huge difference in the draw. Without doing this we get some draw back. But since using the touch (it the type cooks use to burn sugar) fantastic results the flue get that quick warming and the draw is instant when the men installed it and did the first few burns they had all windows and french doors open

[marcosduarte]

Dear Friend, i Love this!
Regards from Rio De Janeiro, where only few áreas needs warm de ambient. Neighborwoods a nove 800 meters from sea level, besides the citiescin the mountains 60 km from Rio such is Petrópolis, Teresópolis and Friburg.
Greatings from your friend. 🤜🤛 I try to watch each video you post.

[RichardChambers]

What about the extra pollution outside?